Spotlight
Spotlight Date: 29-August-04
Spoiler Rating: Medium
Being There (1979)
Most people will admit that comedy is hard. Mixing comedy with psychology, sociology, and theology is even harder, so I think it's fair to call "Being There" an ambitious project. And yet, at the same time, it feels somehow small. Directed by Hal Ashby and adapted by Jerzy Kosinski from his own book, the movie uses the traditional figure of a holy fool to comment satirically on politics, fame, and human relations. Viewed as a whole — from a distance, if you will — it almost reaches its goal by making a point with a lightness that doesn't seem trivial. Viewed closer in, however, it falls short, offering a stream of similar moments whose meaning is immediately apparent and whose succession builds only to a strained and unnecessary punchline. Because of this dichotomous nature (which I felt even while I was watching it), I sort of admire "Being There," but I don't exactly like it.
The film tells the story of a middle-aged man named Chance (Peter Sellers), whose lifelong guardian and benefactor dies and leaves him with nowhere to go. Possessed of a low IQ, only one practical skill (gardening), and absolutely no experience of the world except what he has seen on TV, the hopeful man-child ventures out onto the streets of Washington DC to search for a new home and someone to feed him lunch. After a day's wandering, he runs into a wealthy woman named Eve Rand (Shirley MacLaine), who ends up inviting him back to her mansion. Once there, his friendly simplicity wins over not only Eve and her dying tycoon husband (Melvyn Douglas), but also the President of the United States (Jack Warden) and everyone else in their social circle, which causes a media sensation. Naturally, the fact that the newcomer is dumb as a doornail and hasn't a clue what's going on escapes the notice of everyone except the resident doctor (Richard Dysart), whose enormous glasses advertise his physician's ability to see how the wind blows and respond with wise compassion.
Like many tales about a true innocent in the wide world (and I would be fascinated to know if this happens in real life), "Being There" depicts how each person who comes into contact with Chance latches on to him as the fulfillment of their personal need; how his lack of pretension and unguarded geniality make him appear extraordinary. Yet, his responses being so limited (and the movie clearly intending to keep things light), his interactions with other people are unvarying and therefore predictable. I found myself grow less and less interested in watching the remarkably in-character Sellers impress the old millionaire, dazzle a late-night talk show host, or give Eve the best sex of her life without even knowing it, because I knew after the first half hour how everyone would react and how each scene would end. I could almost wish that he didn't remain in one environment for the whole film, but moved from DC high society to a Baltimore slum and points in between. As it is, the movie lacks spontaneity and the fulfilling sensation of characters learning, changing, or progressing to something new. (Chance makes everyone think they have found the answer, but obviously they haven't really.) "Being There" is a comedic fairy tale that asks "What if?" but seems hard pressed to supply a compelling answer on a smaller scale as well as a larger one.
Copyright © 2004 The Jujube (M. I. Kim). All rights reserved.
